A jubilant Sri Lanka captain, Duleep Mendis, gave full credit to fielding for his team’s success in the second Asia Cup Final 1986 at SSC, Colombo, on April 6.
Duleep Mendis said, “The main reason for our victory was fielding. We did well to keep Pakistan down to 191. That kind of total was well within our range. In the first match, when we dismissed Pakistan for 197, we were within reach of that total, but our batting failed badly. However, it was too soon for us to perform similarly again. Having led Sri Lanka to its first Test victories over India and Pakistan, yesterday’s win was another feather in Mendis’s career. He described it as: “It is the cup that matters most.
Asked whether Imran Khan’s absence made things easy for Sri Lanka, Mendis replied, “Anything could have happened. We could have struggled a bit more. But when everything is going your way, it does not matter who is bowling.” Promising batsmen Arjuna Ranatunga and Arevinda de Silva played a pivotal role in this victory. Kaushik Amalean captured 4 for 46 as Ranatunga helped the Sri Lankan reach the target in 45 overs with a match-winning inning of 57 off 65 balls.
Sri Lanka Cricket Board president Gamini Dissanayake, in his address at the awards distribution, said, “Sri Lanka must win, Sri Lanka must lose. But like corks in the water, we can never be put down.” Bangladesh will stage the third Asia Cup tournament in 1988 and Mr. Dissanayake said that it was only a matter of time before they also became full members of the ICC. “I hope that India will come forward and face the challenge in the next tournament in Bangladesh,” concluded Mr. Dissanayake. India pulled out of the Asia Cup due to strained cricketing relations.
Duleep Mendis’s team is over the moon for their maiden Asia Cup victory. I hope this victory gave us the self-aplomb to beat any side in the world now.
